Photographic printing apparatus



April 21, 1936. J. A. JAMESON PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS Filed June 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 21, 1936. J A \JAMESQN 2,038,430

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS I Filed June 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 21, 1936 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS John A. Jameson, Canton, Ili., assignor of onelifth to Walter C. Sadler, Ann Arbor, Mich.

, I Application June 10, 1933, Serial No. 675,184

' 14 Claims. (CI. 95-73) This invention relates to a photographic print-- It is, then, an object of this invention to proing apparatus which provides automatic regulavide an automatic photographic printing appation of the length of each exposure whereby ratus in which the length of the exposure of the greater uniformity is secured in the quality of sensitized paper to the light source is proporthe finished prints. Heretofore the process for tional to the density of the negative. 5 producing photographic prints from negatives or It is also an object of this invention to provide tracings has been to expose a piece of sensitized a photographic printing appparatus which will paper to light passing through the negative or automatically print pictures of a uniform density tracing for a certain period of time, this period irrespective of the density of the negative or tracof time being proportional to the density of the ing used.

n a v r tracing in used. H w v r, the ex- Other and further objects of this invention will act time used has inthe past been left to the be evident from the following specification and judgment and experience of each individual opaccompanying drawings. erator and great difiiculties have been experienced On the drawings:

when prints were being made from negatives of Figure 1 is a diagram of the electric circuit 15 widely varying d i y. My new-inv ntion is deof my invention, with parts shown diagramsigned to remove the human equation, or error in matically. judgment of the individual operator as to the Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the length of exposure required, and to provide an top of the lamp house of my device showing a apparatus for automatically giving a correct exprinting frame in position with parts broken 20 posure for each individual negative or tracing. away.

This has many advantages over the old manual Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the motor system, in that the machine is so designed as to used in my device. always give a good print irrespective of the den- Figure 4 is a section of my motor taken along y f h ive or tr cin As ppl d to the the lines IV'-IV of Figure 3 with parts shown in 25 photographic process, for instance, the machine elev tion, will turn out two pictures of identical printing As shown on the drawings: results from two films taken under widely difler- Reference number 5 indicates a lamp housing eht time D This is a c mpl hed all which encloses a lamp 6. A printing frame 1 is matically Without a y manual jus e t of my slidable across the top of the lamp housing 5 and 30 apparatus. is adapted to be placed between said lamp 6 and Ne ative or ac v y ly n their denphoto-electric cells 8. A small lamp In is placed ty and a dense t v W l require m r m upon the Same side of the printing frame I as 7 to print than a less dense one. A limited amount the photo-electric cells 8 for reasons to appear 0f the light which passes through t e negative hereinafter. In Figure 2, the printing frame is 35 du n p i t n will a s pass t u es ns shown with oi-ts broken away to illustrate the tized D V I have found that I y p y arrangement of the positive and negative therein.

j t li p in through he sensitized p p r to A glass plate ll forms the lower portion of the operate a photoelectric cell which will, in turn, printing frame 1 and supports a negative l2 in 4 a w an electric current to s which is pr fiat position. Above this is a sensitivedpaper portilonal t0 the intensity of the light passing or other sensitized material l3 placed with its thr u h t s nsitiz d pap I m y t emsensitive side toward the negative l2. The lamp p y t e c current to Operate a Suitable l0 should-either be so small as not to noticeably device-for pp n the exposure f h n a v direct the sensitized photographic material being and positive to the light s -l r'ah e val uscd, or should be so located that its light will not of time is elapsed which is proportional to the strike said material directly. Above this a glass density of the original negative. I plate I l may be placed to cause the negative and This device will have a distinct advantage in sensitized paper to lie flat. that it willpermit a photographer to take a pic- The operation of the device will now be exture without any particular care or attention to plained together with a description of the several 50 the time of exposure. A photographer may even parts. It is assumed that a negative and positive usea, camera the shutter of which has but one have been placed in position as described above, instantaneous exposure, and obtain satisfactory and that the small lamp I0 is lighted. At this pictures for all ordinary light intensities if he point the lamp 6 is dark. At soon as the print- 5 uses my device for printing the positives. ing frame is placed in position lamp I0 is turned on by the closing of contacts I i 5 and the resulting light affects the photo-electric cells 8. In response to this light, the photo-electric cells 8 pass a small amount of current supplied by a 3" battery It. This current after passing the cells 8, passes through resistance l1 to a grid i8 in vacuum tube 28. The grid leak 2| which connects the grid l8 with the positive side of battery l8 completes the grid circuit, permitting the current from the photo-electric cells 8 to pass from grid 18 tothe negative side of the battery l8 but is of sufilciently high resistance so that grid I8 is maintained at a negative potential with respect to the positive side of said battery and cathode 22 of tube 28, which is connected there- The negative potential thus set up in grid l8 acts to decrease the flow of the plate current to tube 28; This plate circuit will now be traced. Starting with the fiow of electronsfrom cathode member 22 of tube 28 to plate member 23, the

velectron flow passes through ammeter 25 to an adjustable potentiometer 28. Potentiometer 26 is connected directly across the 3" supply for the plate circuit of tube 28 and permits a wide range of adjustment of the positive potential on plate 23.

The B battery current for tube 28 is supplied by a rectifying .device comprising transformer 21 and rectifying tube 28. Alternating current is supplied to a coil 38 of transformer 21 and alternating current is thereby induced into windings 3|, 32 and 33 of transformer 21. The leads X from winding 3| are connected to the filament leads X of tube 28 thereby supplying current to the filament of tube 28. The winding 32 supplies current to heat filament 34 of tube 28. The source of plate current is the winding 33, which has a center tap 35, which is the negative side of the plate supply for the tube 28 and also of the grid supply of power tubes 31 and 38 which are connected in parallel. Tap 35 is connected directly to grid elements 48 and 4| of tubes 31 and 38 and to amend of a grid leak or resistance element 42, the opposite end of which is connected to a tap 43 on the mid-point of winding 44 of transformer 49. Leads YY of winding 44 are connected directly to lleads YY of filaments 45 and 48 of tubes 31 and 38. Grid elements 48 and 4| are also connected directly to one side of a. potentiometer 26 the other side of which is connected to the filament 34 of tube 28 containing plates 41 and 48 each of which is connected to one end of the winding 33.

The plate 23 of the tube 28 is adjustably con- This nected to a point on potentiometer 28. permits a portion of the negative potential to flow through resistance 42 to cathode 22 of tube 28, pass across to the plate 23 and back to the positive side of the circuit through ammeter 25 and potentiometer 28. Thus it will be seen that the grids and 4| of tubes 31 and 38 will be negative with respect to the filaments of said tubes by an amount which will vary directly with the amount of current flowing in the plate cir- ,cuit of tube 20 and inversely as the charge on grid l8 of tube 28. Inductance 50 and condenser II are for the purpose of smoothing out the pulsations of the rectified current from tube 28 and transformer 21.

Transformer 49 has a primary winding 52 which is connected to any suitable source of a1 ternating current. plies current to heat filament 55 of the rectifying means of leads 65.

Secondary winding 54 sup-' tube 58 containing plate elements 59 and 88 which are connected to the terminals of secondary winding 51. The function of the tube 58 is to rectify the current from secondary winding 51 to provide a source of plate current for tubes 31, 38 and 82. Inductance 63 and condenser 64 smooth out-the pulsations of this rectified current.

\ 'Thus it will be seen that when light from lamp I8 is reflected into photo-electric cells 8 the negative-potential on grids 48 and 4i of tubes 31 and 38 is decreased thus permitting more plate current to flow in the plate circuit of these tubes. Starting with plates 81 and 88 of tubes 31 and 38'the electron flow passes through commutator 11 and armature windings 18 of motor 12 and then to filament 55 of tube 58 from which it passes to the plates 59 and 88 and to the secondary winding 51 of transformer 49. The midpoint 8! of winding 51 is connected to the midpoint of winding 44 thereby completing the 'circuit. Since lamp I8 is very small, only a slow motion of the rotation of the armature of motor 12 will take place.

, Motor 12 comprises a permanent magnet 15 and a rotor element comprising a commutator 11, windings 18 and a metallic disk 18. Disk 18 cooperates with permanent magnets 88 and 8| to providea drag to slow up the speed of the motor ,12. I find that the magnetic drag thus provided is very advantageous in that it produces a straight line relationship between the intensity of light entering photo-electric cells 8 and the speed of the armature of motor 12.

The metal disk is light colored over a portion 84 of its surface and darkened over another portion 85. Preferably the black portion 85 covers about 120' of the circumference of the disk as shown the remainder being white but this proportion is not critical and may be varied if desired.

Lamp 81 is placed on one side .of disk 18 and is connected to any suitable source of current by I Photo-electric cell 89 is so placed that light from lamp 81 will be reflected into it from disk 18. However, no appreciable reflection will occur except from the light portion of the disk so that during the passage of g the black portion under the lamp 81, cell 89 will not be effected. For reasons toappear hereinafter the black portion will always appear under lamp 81 at the time .frame 1 is placed in printing position on the lamp house 5.

The cell 89 is connected to the grid 98 of tube 52 through a battery 93 and a battery 94. The positive poles of batteries 93 and 94 are both connected to the cathode 98 of tube 52 through resistance 91. Battery 93 is smaller than 94 and has its negative pole connected to grid 98 so that a negative potential is ordinarily imposed upon grid 98. However battery 94 and photo-electric cell 89 are connected in series across resistance 91 so that when current can pass through the cell 88 the potential of the larger battery 94 will decrease the effect of battery 93, reducing the negative charge on grid 98 and permitting more current to pass through the plate circuit of tube 9i. In other words, when light enters cells 8, the motor 12 starts and continues to turn of tube 82. will be greatly increased.

The effect of this increase in plate current will now be noted. Starting with plate 98 of tube 62 the electron flow passes to contacts I of relay IOI which are in closed position at this time and then through relay I02 from which it goes back to the filament 55 of tube 56 and thence to plate elements 59 and 60 and back to cathode element 96 of tube 62. When the light portion of disk 18 is under lamp 81 this current will be sufllcient to operate relay I02. This closes contacts I03 which permits the current to flow in relay I02 independently of whether contacts I00 are open or closed.

The operation of relay I02 also closes contacts I05 which closes a circuit including relay IOI and battery II 0. The operation of relay IOI opens contacts I00 but relay I02 is not affected thereby because of the previous closing of contacts I03. The closing of contact I 05 also closes a circuit including battery IIO'and relay III. This closes relay III completing the circuit through lamp 6, adjustable resistance II2, contacts II3-and II4 causing lamp 6 to light. Thus it will be seen that when the printing frame 1 is placed in position as explained above, disk moves until the white portion 84 comes under lamp 8.1 whereupon lamp 8 will light and continue to be lighted as long as white portion 84 is under lamp 81. The contact H4 is for the purpose of opening the circuit oi. lamp 6 so that no current will pass when frame I is not in position regardless of the position or disk 18.

When slide I was first placed in position contacts I I5 were closed thereby closing a circuit including lamp I0, contacts I I5,,I I6, leads ZZ which are attached to the similarly labeled leads ZZ from winding II8 of transformer 49. Any other suitable source of current maybe used. As-soon as lamp 6 lights, lamp I0 is extinguished, by an action about to be described.

When relay IOI acts contacts II9 are closed, closing a circuit including relay I20 and battery I I0. The action of this relay opens contacts II6, thus opening the circuit including lamp -I0.

Thus it will be seen that when frame 1 is inserted, the lamp I0 is lighted and disk 18 turns slowly until the white portion 84 comes below light 81 causing relay I02 to close as well as I01, III, and I20 by virtue of the action of tube 62. This results in the extinguishing of lamp I0 and the lighting of lamp 6, at which time the exposure of the sensitized material I3 begins. This exposure "continues while white portion 84 is passing under the lamp 81. As stated above the speed of disk 18 will vary directly as the intensity of the light passing through negative I2 and sensitized paper I3 so thatthe white portion 84 will be longer in passing lamp 81 when the negative is dense than when it is more transparent. How the exposure is terminated when the white portion 84 has passed lamp 81 will now be. explained.

As soon as the dark portion 85 is under lamp 81, only an insignificant amount of light strikes photo-electric cell 89. passed by photo-electric cell 89, which in turn decreases the amount of positive potential between cathode 96 and grid 90, grid element 90 again becomes negative from the action of battery 93 and the plate current of tube 62 is greatly decreased, so that contacts I03 and I05-of relay I02 are opened. The opening of contacts I05 breaks the circuit through relay I I I which in turn causes contacts II3 to open, extinguishing lamp 6 and terminating the exposure. r

The opening of contacts I05 will not cause relay IM to act because its circuit is closed by contacts I26 and i21independently of contacts I05. .This causes lamp I0 to remain ofi independently oi. the

This decreases the current position of disk 18. Since relay I0 I remains closed contacts I00 will remain ,open so that lamp 0 remains oil independently of the position oi disk 18.

When the black portion 85 of disk 18 passes under lamp 01, two situations may arise. First if motor 12 were moving but slowly, it will stop quickly and the black-portion 85 will remain under lamp 81. The operation of the device in this case has already been explained. Both lamps 6 and I0 go oil and remain off. However, ii motor 12 were turning rapidly the black portion 85 may move past lamp 81 so that the white portion 84 will be under the lamp. The operation of the device. when this occurs will now be explained.

81 relay I 02 opens as explained above. This opens contacts I05 and I03. However, relay IOI is not affected thereby because its circuit is kept closed by contacts I26. This keeps contacts I00 open sq that no current can pass in the circuit of relay I02, and contacts I05 which control the lighting of bulb 6 through relay III cannot again be closed.

This situation continues until frame 1 is removed at which time the circuit oi! relay MI is opened at contacts I21 so that relay I0 I. is released which opens contacts II9 releasing relay I20. As soon as relayIOI is released, contacts I 00 close, and, since the white portion 84 is under lamp 81, the plate circuit of tube 62 is closed through relay I02. This closes contacts I05 which causes current from battery IIO to flow through contacts I05, relay MI, and contacts I30 back to battery I I0 thereby closing the circuit through relay IOI which in turn opens contacts I00. However, the

circuit passing through I00 is kept closed by contacts I03 which are closed by the operation relay I 02. The operation of relay IOI closes contacts I I9 thereby operating relay I which opens contacts I30. This however does not release the relay IOI since contacts I26 have closed and current may pass from battery I I0 through relay I0 I, contacts I26 and I28 back to battery IIO thereby keeping relay IOI closed. The relay I remains on thereby closing contacts I2I. Since contacts I24 were closed when frame 1 was withdrawn, current may now flow in the circuit through contacts I2I and I24 causing lamp I0 to light.

, The lighting of lamp I0 will affect photo-electric cells 8 causing the disk 18 to rotate slowly in the manner already described above until the black portion 85 is under the lamp 81 at which point the plate current in tube 62 is reduced in a manner which has been described above and relay I 02 is released. Contacts I05 are thereby opened and since during this operation coniacts I05 have been included in the circuit of relay I0 I, this relay' is immediately released. The release of the relay I0I opens contacts I I9 which in turn releases relay I20. This results in the opening of contacts I2I which xtinguishes lamp I0. Lamp 6 has remained oiT during this time because its circuit was opened at contacts II4 when frame 1 was removed. Thus it will be seen that the apparatus has been returned to the original condition at the time frame 1 was first inserted. When frame 1 is again inserted it will contact bar ISI, 1

current and that leads 65 and 66 may be connected toany suitable current, either direct or alternating. I

The connections passing from lamphouse 5 to relays III, I", III, and I20 in Figure 1 have been designated III, I", I35, I36, I31, I38, and I39 to identifi them with the connections shown on Figure 2. I

While I have shown the use offtwo magnets, 80 and II, to provide a drag on disk 18, it will be understood ,that this number is not critical and that more may be used if desired. Other suitable means for retarding the speed of the motor 12 so as to establish astraight line relationship between the current input and the speed of the motor may be used to replace magnets 80 and 8!.

When setting up my. apparatus it is necessary to adjust it to provide the proper exposure for the particular grade of sensitized paper or other sensitized material used. The mllliammeter 25 and the potentiometer 2B in the plate circuit of tube 20 is provided for this purpose. Potenti- -ometer 28 is adjusted until a point is reached at which my machine gives an adequate exposure for the grade o paper being used, and the reading of the milliammeter is taken. After this, it is only necessary to set the potentiometer to the point where the milliammeter shows the reading which gives satisfactory results for that particular grade of paper and the machine maybe operated using that paper and any desired negative with no additional adjustment. If desired the milliamm'eter may be supplied with a. scale calibrated to show the best reading for each grade of sensitized material to be used If this is done very rapid changes may be made from one type oi material to another without sacrificing any of the automatic features of the machine.

Resistance III may also be used to adjust my device for different grades of paper. This resistance is particularly useful for keeping the potential across lamp 6 constant.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a photographic printing apparatus, a. light source, means for securing the negative and positive in position to receive light emanating from said source, an exciter light circuit, light sensitive means affected by said exciter light, an electric circuit including said light sensitive means, reflecting means movable by the flow of current in said circuit, a control circuit for the light source, a second light sensitive means in said circuit affected by light from said reflecting means for connecting said light source and for disconnecting said light source when the reflecting means have moved apredetermined amount,

the speed of movement of said'reflecting meansbelng dependent upon the quantity of light transmitted through the negative.

2, In a photographic printing apparatus comprising a light source, light sensitive means, means, means for supporting photographic film material between said light source and said sensitive means, amplifying means for amplifying the electric impulses from said light sensitive means,

and motor means associated with said amplifying means, said motor means rotating in response to and with a speed varying with the intensity of said impulses, reflecting means associated with said motor. a second source of light and a second flector means to receive reflected light from said second light source and means associated with said second light source to extinguish the light at the first mentioned light source when reflected light is cut off from said second light sensitive means by said reflector.

3. A photographic printing apparatus comprising means for holding a. sensitized material and a transparent material containing an image to be reproduced, alight source to expose said sensitized material through said transparent material, light sensitive means reactive to light passing through said sensitized material and transparent material, amplifying means associated with said light sensitive means, a rotor carrying a reflector the rotation of said rotor being controlled by said amplifying means, a second light sensitive means affected by light reflected from said reflector, said second light sensitive means controlling means for disconnecting said light source after apredetermined' amount of. light has passed through said transparent material.

4. A photographic printing apparatus comprising holding means for supporting a sensitized material and a transparent material containing an imageto be reproduced, a light source adaptedto expose said sensitized material through said transparent material, light sensitive means af-' fected by light passing through said sensitized material and transparent material, amplifying means associated with said light sensitive means, a rotor element carrying a reflector, the rotation of said rotor element being controlled by said amplifier, a magnetic drag associated with said rotor element, a second light sensitive means reactive to light reflected from said reflector, a relay operated by said second light sensitive means, said light source being controlled by said relay.

5. A photographic ing holding maps for supporting a sensitized material, and a transparent material containing an image to be reproduced, to expose said sensitized material through said transparent material, light sensitive means affected by alight passing through said sensitized material and transparent material, amplifying means associated with said light sensitive means, a rotor element being controlled by said amplifier, a magnetic drag associated with said rotor element, a second light sensitive means reactive to light reflected from said reflector, a holding relay operated by said second light sensitive means, contacts on said holding relay connected with means for connecting said light source, said holding relay operating a second holding relay operating a third relay, a second light source above said holding means operated by saidvthird relay, contacts associated with said holding means whereby said second holding relay holds independently of said first holding relay when said holding means is in position but holds only as long as said first relay holds when said holding means is not in position and other contacts on said holding means, said controlling second light source and contacts on said third relay associated therewith whereby said second light source is on only when said holding means is in position printing apparatus compris- I and said second relay not holding or when said and sensitized material to receive light emanating from said source, light sensitive means affected by light passing through the negative, a motor in circuit with said light sensitive means and means dependent on the speed of themotor for controlling the time of exposure of the negative and sensitized means to said light source, and a magnetic drag associated with said motor whereby a straight line relationship is established between the speed of said motor and the intensity of light passing through the negative from said light source.

'7. A photographic printing apparatus comprising a light source, means forvpositioninga negative and sensitized material to receive light emanating from said source, light sensitive means affected by the light passing through the negative, a motor including an armature in circuit with said light sensitive means, a relay, the opening and closing of which is dependent on the position of said armature, said relay controlling the circuit including said light source, and controlling a second circuit including an exciter lamp over said means for positioning a negative, and contact means associated with said means for positioning a negative, whereby said motor is returned to an initial position.

8. A photographic printing apparatus comprising holding means for supporting --a sensitized "material, and a transparent material containing an image to be reproduced, to expose said sensitized material through said transparent material, light sensitive means aifected by light passing through said sensitized material and transparent material, amplifying means associated with said light sensitive means, a rotor element carrying a reflector controlled by said amplifier, a second light sensitive means reactive to light reflected from said reflector, a holding relay operated by said second light sensitive means, contacts on said holding relay connected with means for connecting said light source, said holding relay,operating a second holding relay operating a third relay, a second light source above said holding means, operated by said third relay, contacts associated with said holding means-whereby said second holding relay holds independently of said first holding relay when said holding means is in position but holds only as long as said first relay holds when said holding means is not in position and other contacts on said holding means controlling said second light source and contacts on said third relay associated therewith whereby said. second light source is on only when said holding means is in position and said second relay. not holding or when said holding means is re-' moved and said secondrelay is holding.

'9. In a photographic printing apparatus, means for positioning a negative and sensitized material to be exposed to light passing therethrough, a

light source, and movable reflecting means for connecting the light source and for disconnecting the same after a predetermined time dependent on the amount of light passed through the negative from the light source, and means for setting said reflecting means in motion when the negative is placed in position.

10. In a photographic printing apparatus,

means for positioning a negative andsensitizedmaterial to be exposed to light passing therethrough, a-light source, and movable reflecting means for connecting the light source and for disconnecting the same after a predetermined time dependent upon the amount of light passed through the negative from the light source and means for returning said reflecting means to its initial position.

11. In a photographic printing apparatus, means for positioning a negative and sensitized material to be exposed to light passing therethrough, a light source, light sensitive means positioned to intercept light passing through said sensitized material, rotary timing means connected to said light source, means to transmit impulses from said light sensitive means to said timing means, means to establish a linear relationship between the intensity of the impulses of said light sensitive means and the period of illumination of said light'source, means for starting said timing means when said negative and sensitized materials are placed in position and means for continuing the rotation of the timing means for resetting said timing means when the exposure has been completed. i

12. In a photographic printing apparatus, means for positioning a negative and sensitized material being exposed to light passing through said negative, a light source positioned to direct light through said negative and sensitized material, light sensitive mans responsive to light passing through said negative and sensitized material, a movable reflecting means controlled by said light sensitive means and means cooperating with said reflecting means to interrupt the light from said light source after a predetermined quantum of light has passed through said negative and said light sensitive material.

13. In a photographic printing apparatus, a light source, means for securing a negative and a positive in position to receive light emanating from said source, means sensitive to light passing through said positive, motor means cooperating'with said light sensitive means adapted to turn with a speed proportional to the intensity of light falling on said light sensitive means, re-

lay means cooperating with said motor means adapted to cut 011 light from said source after a time inversely proportional to the speed, of said flected'i'rom said positive, motor means associated with said light sensitive ed to run with a speed sity of light afiecting means and adaptproportional to the intensaid light sensitive means, relay means associated with said motor adapted to close the circuit of said'second light source until said motor has turned to a predetermined initial position and to thereupon open said circuit and close the circuit of said first mentioned light source and thereafter to open said second mentioned circuit when said motor has reached a predetermined final position.

. JOHN A. JAMESON.

printing apparatus, 

